"Four times so far I have been forced to the shoulder by an oncoming car passing. they are in my lane when going by. "

I'm seeing this one more and more , let's all be extra careful out there and watch out for, and back up, each other .

 

I couldn't disagree with this any more. You have to strategically place yourself in your lane to be the most visible to the biggest dangers. For instance there's a 2 lane road near me that the left lane turns over a bridge. That lane gets extremely backed up around rush hour time. Cages are constantly flying up the right lane and looking for a space to dive to the left. If you're not using the right 1/3 of the left lane you may not be visible and therefore look like a break in traffic.

The first week I had my bike a woman pulled up next to me on a single lane road. I asked her what she was thinking and she acted like she didn't realize that was a problem. The OP was not at fault here, people just need to pull their heads out of their a$$es.

 

Take your time and leave distance . There are experienced riders and then there are the beginners. Some people ride like there is no tomorrow. OPEN your eyes and think about these cagers. While they text, talk on the phone, eat fast food they don't see us. We have to drive defensively to stay away from them. Be safe out there guys.

 

which part don't you agree with ? im sorry but I see riding left/right of center more of a danger then being in the middle of the lane. this leaves you very few options as an out. if your in the center of the lane your more likely to be seen and have less of a chance of this illegal act happening. also I don't know about your state but motorcycle rules of the road for the state of Illinois specifically states to be in the center of your lane so cars do not try to lane share. as to this lane where you live basically by doing what you are. you are condoning the bad driving of these people.

By riding a bike you accept a risk of some cager doing something stupid and putting you in danger. if you disagree with this statement sell your bike right now. because it is an accepted risk. just as it is an accepted risk you may god forbid go down. but imho by disagreeing with my previous statement you either have not studied the motorvehicle rules of the road for your state, have limited miles on a bike. or think that because you are on a bike you need to amend the rules of the road and cowtow to cagers . you have the same rights to the road as someone on a bicycle who has the same rights as a car. so all I can say is study the rules of the road and ride within them they want you in the middle of that lane for a reason.

 

Sometimes when pack / small group riding, a friend of mine takes the front left side lead, facing the oncoming traffic or immediately adjacent to the next lane if we're in the right lane. I (For one) can't stand that front spot that close to the line, I'm happy with anywhere back on the right side if not the middle riding drag. One day, I noted that he had his left foot up on his highway peg and was out across the line (or foot out over the paint.).

I asked him about that and he said, in his experience, if you ride center up, cage drivers will, without regard, only use the half of lane you leave them to come around you, rather than go all the way over fully into the adjacent lane to do so.

he added that on small, 2 lane state roads like we have, if someone in a cage decides that (His words...)"He doesn't care if he kills me by passing me on a 2 lane road in the first place, since I'm not slow poking it either..." then he's keeping his foot there to make sure they have no choice but to get fully over there to cleanly get by him.

Dunno if I agree with that...For now I'll keep to the other side of the pack. Just adding the gist of the discussion since it fit here...

Food for thought.

 

This is directly out of the PA Motorcycle Safety handbook. To say that the only safe place to be on a road is in the center is crazy. And to tell me that I obviously don't know what I'm talking about is BS too. I don't live in Illinois, so I don't know what the law is there, and frankly I don't care, but the OP posted a statement about cagers being dangerous and trying to share a lane. HE'S RIGHT! And by using the left portion of the lane he was not at fault. That's where he felt he was the most visible, and since the moron in the cage behind him was right behind him I don't think his lane position effected visibility. So instead of flaming a guy that wasn't wrong to begin with maybe you should think about how safe it is to be riding down the greasy center of a road.

And of course I accept the fact that it's dangerous to ride a motorcycle, I'm not sure what part of my response gave you the impression that I didn't understand that. You have me so irritated. Go back in your hole troll, but first... enlighten yourself:



Lane Positions
In some ways the size of the
motorcycle can work to your
advantage. Each traffic lane gives a
motorcycle three paths of travel, as
indicated in the illustration.
Your lane position should:
• Increase your ability to see and be
seen.
• Avoid others’ blind spots.
• Avoid surface hazards.
• Protect your lane from other
drivers.
• Communicate your intentions.
• Avoid wind blast from other vehicles.
• Provide an escape route.
Select the appropriate path to
maximize your space cushion and
make yourself more easily seen by
others on the road.

In general, there is no single best
position for riders to be seen and to
maintain a space cushion around the
motorcycle. No portion of the lane
need be avoided — including the
center.
Position yourself in the portion of
the lane where you are most likely to
be seen and you can maintain a space
cushion around you. Change position
as traffic situations change. Ride in
path 2 or 3 if vehicles and other
potential problems are on your left
only. Remain in path 1 or 2 if hazards
are on your right only. If vehicles are
being operated on both sides of you,
the center of the lane, path 2, is
usually your best option.
The oily strip in the center
portion that collects drippings from
cars is usually no more than two feet
wide. Unless the road is wet, the
average center strip permits adequate
traction to ride on safely. You can
operate to the left or right of the
grease strip and still be within the
center portion of the traffic lane.
Avoid riding on big buildups of oil
and grease usually found at busy
intersections or toll booths.

 

I used to ride in the left side of my lane. Now I ride more in the center because of the oncoming texter drifting over the center stripe. All those other scenarios stated earlier are very valid, but the oncoming texter scares the crap out of me.

 

I see cages weaving in their lane, crossing over both lines. I think they're either drunk or texting or both.

The only time I let a car in my lane, is if it's a 2 lane road with very little passing options...hills and turns...and they're too close behind me. I'll get to the right side and wave them to pass. Most of the time they aren't that close. I just want them in front of me.

 

Cagers are the problem. Not the OP. The lane he's in belongs to him. We all know this. Cagers i suspect, know this too, but are ignorant bastards for crowding us, if we don't ride to the left of our lane.
There are times when i find it necessary to ride the right side, because of heavy gravel trucks coming towards me and i sooner stay away from flying rocks, or there is a string of manhole covers that i sooner not ride over. Also some times ride the right for visibility reasons.
No way is the OP to blame for others "don't give a crap attitudes"..
BTW...middle of the lane is the worst place to ride in my opinion...

 

At the end of the day, all we can do is eat their feces and hope to Budda that they don't run over us. Riding defensively helps a little too.
Unless you want to go all George Zimmerman on them.